Real Valladolid sack second manager of the season

Real Valladolid are on the hunt for a third manager of the season after Diego Cocca was dismissed on Monday evening. The Argentine manager had been in charge of just eight games.

Cocca and assistant manager Marcelo Goux met with Sporting Director Domingo Catoira on Monday to agree their exit, as per Relevo, and several hours later, La Pucela announced their departure. B team coach Alvaro Rubio, who was in interim charge for three games earlier in the season after Paulo Pezzolano was dismissed, will take over on an interim basis once again.

Valladolid were beaten 4-0 by Sevilla on Sunday, after which Cocca asked for forgiveness from the fans for the result and manner of the defeat. Arriving with a decent reputation from his time in Argentina and Mexico, Cocca was straight-talking and critical of Valladolid at times. His brazenness, combined with a run of just one win in eight games ended up sentencing him at the Nuevo Jose Zorrilla.

That win came against Betis in early January, but La Pucela lost all of the other seven games under Cocca, including a Copa del Rey elimination at the hands of lower league Ourense. Valladolid are for many the hot favourites to go down now, as they are rooted to the bottom of the table.

With just 15 points from their 24 games, Valladolid are now a significant eight points adrift of safety, and looking somewhat rudderless. They currently have the worst defence in La Liga with 52 goals conceded and the worst attack with just 15 scored. Valladolid fans were highly critical of Cocca’s predecessor Pezzolano, who won promotion with them last year, but most of the ire this season has been directed at owner Ronaldo Nazario, for what they believe to be negligent running of the club, which has been a long-running gripe for the support.